Apron for driers and the like



F. G. SARGENT.

APBON FOR DBIERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6, 1919.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. SARGENT, 0F WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO C. G.SARGENTS SONS CORPORATION, OF GRANITEVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Arnon' non nnrnns AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 16,

1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK Ur. Sen- GENT,a citizen of the United States, residing at Yfcstford in the county ofMiddlesex and State of l assachusetts, have invented a new and usefulApron for Driers and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a conveyer of the endless apron type, capableof general use, but especially adapted for carrying wool and otherfibrous material in driers. The chief objects of the invention are toprovide means applicable to a wire cloth apron of this type forpreventing its creeping to one side, in other words keeping it centered;to provide driving means which will hold the cloth apron in centralposition and, yet prevent crumpling of the wire cloth or otherdistortion of its shape; and to secure these objects in a very simpleand inexpensive manner.

One of the difficulties that is ordinarily experienced in the operationof these endless wire cloth aprons is that they have a tendency to runoff to one side and thus bring the edge into engagement with the side ofthe drier to the injury of the apron and the drier. In view of thelength of some of these aprons some being two hundred feet long, it isobvious that a very small angle of variation will result in the apronrunning off to a considerable distance. When an apron is put on therolls to drive it there is no way of telling whether it will runstraight except to try it and with such long aprons as have beenmentioned this involves the loss of considerable time because it has torun all the way around once before the amount of variation can bedetermined. It is for these reasons that it is desirable to provide anapron that will run true without resorting to expensive mechanism forkeeping it in track.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which i Figure 1is a fragmentary plan of a drier apron showing a preferred embodiment ofthis invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken near the driving roll. a

In order to overcome the above mentioned difiioulties and secure theabove mentioned Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 304,589.

advantages I provide an endless wire cloth apron 10 with means movabletherewith for keeping it in alinement and cooperating with the drivingpulleys in such a way as to prevent the apron from running to one side.For this purpose I provide at each end, in addition to the mainsupporting drum 10, pulleys 12. Any desired number of pulleys can beused according to the width of the apron, but for ordinary aprons therewill be only two, one at each edge. These pulleys are fixed to therespective driving shafts 13 while the drums 11 are loose upon them. Itis to be noted that the pulleys are crowned. The wire apron 10 isprovided with a number of belts la corresponding with the number ofpulleys at each end and similarly located. In the drawings I have showna pair of these belts, one upon each edge of the apron, secured to theapron by rivets 15 or the like.

In the operation of the device, the belts being placed on the pulleysand the shafts started to rotate, the pulleys will hold the belts in theproper position on account of their crowning. If the two pulleys whichreceive the belt are properly alined and the shafts parallel with eachother, the belts will not run off to either side. Consequently the apronis forced to travel straight and the common difiiculty due to thecreeping over of the apron is entirely avoided.

It is to be'noted that the drums 11 are a little smaller in diameterthan the pulleys at their centers. They are provided to receive the partof the apron between the pulleys where the apron passes over the pulleysto prevent the apron from sagging or crumpling. They can conveniently beleft loose on the shaft, because they are not employed in driving theapron.

It is also evident that these drums may be tight on the shafts andlagging put on the apron due to changes in temperature are not sgficient to cause the apron to move to one s1 e.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention and shown it as applied only to a fiber drying carrier of aspecific type, I am aware of the fact that changes can be made in thedetails of construction and that it can be applied to other types ofcarriers and driers without departing from the scope of the invention asexpressed in the claims, therefore I do not wish to be limited in theserespects but what I do claim is 1. In a conveyer, the combination of anendless apron with belts attached to it near the edges, of crownedpulleys for supporting and driving said belts to keep the belts andapron from creeping from side to side, and a loose drum located betweenthe pulleys at each end of the apron of substantially the same diameteras the smallest diameter of said pulleys for supporting the apron between the pulleys.

2. In a conveyer, the combination of an endless wire cloth apron withbelts on the inner side thereof securely attached to it near the edges,of a crowned pulley at'each end for supporting and driving each belt tokeep the belts and apron from creeping from side to side, and loosenon-driving means "for supporting the apron of substantially the samediameter as the smallest diameter of said pulleys between thepulleys ateach side of the apron.

8. In an endless carrier, the combination with an endless apron, ofmeans carried throughout its length within the area of the apron forpreventing it from creeping from side to side, means for driving theapron thereby and loose non-driving means separate from the drivingmeans but located at the side thereof for supporting the apron in asubstantially flat condition.

In testimony whereof I affixed my signature.

FREDERICK Gr. SARGEN'I.

have hereunto

